Here I am, summoned back early from where I've been the last few days
due to the fact that evidently nobody was able to cover for me. Incidently, here's a nice little quote
to pull out of context for you:

"I can only think of one series of games ever whose creators willingly
decided to end it, and even then the publishers decided to just revive
the license in another form."

Well, what is it?

- JDG

Googleshng:
That would be Phantasy Star. The people making it made a nice little trilogy of games, set in the same
setting 1000 years apart, ended with a good bit of finality both in the game itself and public statements,
but that didn't stop the release of the PSO games, PSU, or, for that matter, PS3.

This fall we've got a couple 'fringe' RPGs coming out, ones that most
people have never heard of the series or have no interest in it - Shadow
Hearts 2 and Shin Megami Tensei 3. What are your opinions on either of
them? Interested? Know absolutely nothing? Do you follow any less popular
series with interest? I know I'm looking forward to Shin Megami Tensei, but
very few people even know what it is let alone want to buy it.

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

And as a note to one of the letters on the 20th, Final Fantasy has been
ported more places than Dragon Warrior, but Wizardry 1 takes the cake. It's
been out on 12 systems, assuming I counted right - Commodore 64, Apple II,
GBC, NES, PC, SNES, PSX, Saturn, Turbo CD, Wonderswan Color, PC-9801, which
is a different kind of computer, and the PC Engine, which isn't a PC as
best I can tell. Oh, and cell phones. If that counts, that makes 13. Werdna
really gets around.

-Prism

Googleshng:
Actually, PC Engine was what the TG-16 was called in Japan, so I do believe you're counting it twice.
Still though.

The Meg Ten games I don't have a whole lot of experience with, but what I've seen, I honestly didn't
much care for. If I want to play an RP that's weird for weirdness' sake and set in an approximation of
the real world, present day, it's going to be Earthbound. Due both to the fact that Persona left a bad
taste in my mouth, and that Earthbound was freaking great.

As for Shadow Hearts 2, suffice it to say that we had a contest way back when wherein the contestants
had to prove they were drooling over Shadow Hearts more than I was. So it should go without saying that
I'll be picking this sucker up.

Interesting side note, all but one entry to yon contest was disqualified on the grounds of people not
being able to comprehend that there were multiple upcoming games with Hearts in their names. Shadow Hearts
does not contain Mickey Mouse.

This is the problem with this industry...

I only read the Q&A and have never even thought of emailing, but I thought
alot of people would like to know this. EB Games is offering Shadow Hearts
for free when you preorder Shadow Hearts Covenant. Here is the link, and
its about halfway down the page:
http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/groups/hotdeals/playstation2.asp

It just showed up this morning I think and the store didn't even know
about it when I called, but now you can preorder online and do in-store
pickup on stuff.
Ryan

Googleshng:
Quite the good deal for people who missed it the first time around. Personally though, I've always found
it annoying how the videogame industry rewards people for not buying games until a year or so after they're
out and everyone's been praising them left and right with extra bonuses and huge discounts. It's honestly
something of a kick in the teeth to the early adopters who make these games so popular in the first place.
That's economics for you though.

The Last Laugh:

OK, all this time away from my coffin is starting to make me burst into flames so I'd best be going.
I'll try to get my henchmen to remember to let me out again tonight to bestow more columny goodness for
you tomorrow though.